Effects of Building Configuration on Seismic Performance of RC Buildings by Pushover Analysis

Abstract

In the recent earthquakes, concrete structures have been severely damaged or collapsed, which has raised questions against the seismic adequacy of existing buildings. These existing reinforced concrete buildings need to be evaluated to determine the capacity to resist seismic loads. The behavior of a building during earthquakes depends critically on its overall shape, size and geometry. Conventional approach to earthquake resistant design of buildings depends upon providing the building with strength, stiffness and inelastic deformation capacity which are great enough to withstand a given level of earthquake-generated force. This is generally accomplished through the selection of an appropriate building configuration and the careful detailing of structural members. In this research, nonlinear pushover analysis has been used to evaluate the seismic performance of three buildings with three different plans having same area and height. This method determines the base shear capacity of the building and performance level of each part of building under varying intensity of seismic force. The results of effects of different plan on seismic response of buildings have been presented in terms of displacement, base shear and plastic hinge pattern.